Fight Cancer…with Vegetables!
There are many reasons to include locally grown produce in your healthy diet–from supporting your local economy to reducing your carbon footprint. And did you know that locally grown produce is also better for you? Vegetables and fruits are at their most nutritious when they’re allowed to ripen before harvesting, and because they’re not being shipped halfway across the country or around the world, they can be picked closer to their optimum harvest time and still be fresh when you pick them up at your local farmers’ market. Not to mention, the fresher they are the better they taste!
Cruciferous vegetables (broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, kale etc.) are fresh and plentiful this time of year–and these vegetables may help lower your risk for cancer. These vegetables are high in fibre, vitamins and minerals, as well as containing antioxidants beta carotene and sulforaphane, a phytochemical which stimulates the body to produce carcinogen-detoxifying enzymes.
Here are a few simple ways to add cruciferous vegetables to your diet. One great way is to add them in at breakfast by tossing some steamed broccoli or wilted kale into a healthy omelet. Broccoli or cauliflower added to any salad gives it a nice nutritional boost.
Tags: beta carotene, broccoli, cabbage, carbon footprint, carcinogen, cauliflower, cruciferous vegetables, economy, enzymes, farmers market, fight cancer, harvest time, healthy diet, kale, lower your risk, omelet, phytochemical, time of year, vegetables and fruits, vitamins and minerals Category: Healthy Eating
August 30th, 2009 at 9:21 pm
eating local food is not only good for your body but it is great for the local economy. I am always sad when the local produce is not in season.
If we eat fruits and vegetables that have been frozen fresh will it have the same benifits?
September 7th, 2009 at 7:22 am
Thanks, Julia. I agree; fresh produce is always the best (tasting, certainly and better for you) and it is a little sad when you can’t just drive up the road to the farm stand to pick up something that’s just been harvested (As an aside, I’m really excited to get to some fresh tomatoes and peaches we got on the way home yesterday evening!).
And you bring up a very good point about “frozen fresh.” I look at it this way: the fresher and the closer to home, the better (and healthier). After that you have to start making decisions. Nutritional benefits are going to decrease with any kind of processing, but some choices certainly are better than others. Frozen fresh is certainly better than canned halfway across the world and there are a number of degrees in between.